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Golden Hoops
Golden Hoops was a robot from China which competed in Season 1.5, the debut season of This is Fighting Robots. It was selected to compete in the main competition by celebrity team captain Sa Beining, but enjoyed limited success as part of the Yellow team, losing its first group battle to Megabyte and a subsequent Tag Team battle to Sandstorm and White Tiger Guardian, despite surviving to a Judges' decision in the latter. As a result, Golden Hoops was eliminated from This is Fighting Robots during the third round. However, it would later reprise its place in Beining's team for the eight-robot rumble, where it survived to a Judges' decision, which it lost to Thunder and Lightning. Design Golden Hoops was a unique, black and gold, tube-shaped axlebot with four wheels and two extending flail hammers on the side. It utilized the hammers in conjunction with Meltybrain-type software (described by the team as 'slippage steering'KOB Hall of Fame - Golden Hoops interview), which allowed the robot to move across the arena while spinning on the spot. This system offered Golden Hoops a strike force of over 10,000 joules (10 kilojoules, comparable to the force of a one-ton hammer) and a spinning speed of up to 600rpm - the robot itself moves slowly, described by the team as '6rpm/min' motion. The central part of Golden Hoops’ chassis also spun independently of the wheels and hammers, which is designed to defend the catchers, as the central section contains the robot's battery and control panel. The robot could be fitted with an optional attachment to keep it upright. For its Tag Team battle, Golden Hoops underwent a comprehensive rebuild, which altered the robot's appearance considerably. The most significant changes it received were a narrower, gray-panelled chassis, larger wheels with rubber tire treads and redesigned hammer modules, one of which was made longer than the other to improve the weapon's effectiveness. The central chassis also gained two interconnected bars at the front, which served to keep Golden Hoops stable when upright. Despite (and perhaps in part due to) its unique design, Golden Hoops was derided and mocked by many of the veteran teams competing in Season 1.5, with members of the Shrederator Tiger Claw, Cat King and Two BBQ teams among those ridiculing the design in earlier episodes. Robot History This is Fighting Robots (Season 1.5) Golden Hoops was chosen by Sa Beining during the celebrities’ initial selection process, enabling it to enter the main competition as part of the Yellow team. Its selection prompted unfavorable remarks from some of the more experienced roboteers, who criticized the robot’s design and doubted its capabilities in both English and Chinese. Golden Hoops’ first battle saw it drawn against British ring spinner Saturn and famed North American shell spinner Megabyte. Concerned about its chances of victory against the former, Yellow team captain Sa Beining discussed potential tactics with the Golden Hoops team prior to the melee, while carrying with him a long pole painted to resemble the robot’s color scheme. All three robots initially hesitated to attack each other as they got their weapons up to speed. Golden Hoops rotated its central section and spun on the spot numerous times as its opponents collided and caused each other to recoil. It continued to spin for some time, although it remained close to the floor rods as Megabyte approached it from the far side of the arena. Megabyte then drove into Golden Hoops, lifting and causing the Chinese machine to recoil into one of the grinders. Although Golden Hoops initially survived this attack, using its Meltybrain drive to spin across the arena, one of its hammers broke free moments later, taking with it some of the robot’s electronics. This left Golden Hoops spinning and bouncing uncontrollably near the wall spikes, allowing Megabyte to attack and launch it into the air again. The rest of Golden Hoops’ electronics shorted out as a result, leaving it immobilized near the spikes. With this, it lost the battle and Sa Beining’s initial advantage over Green team captain Zheng Shaung, who tied with Beining on points following Megabyte’s victory. Golden Hoops later reappeared for the Tag Team round, featuring a substantially-altered look (see Design). There, it was partnered with Zen Oh of the Blue team, fighting against Sandstorm of the Green team and White Tiger Guardian of the Red team. Despite further doubts from roboteers such as Paul Streeter, Sa Beining maintained faith in Golden Hoops, supporting its team while continuing to suggest tactics which took advantage of its Meltybrain system. Golden Hoops was initially hesitant to get involved in the opening seconds; it deliberately avoided its opponents in order to get itself spinning up to speed. It was quickly rammed and thrown backwards by Sandstorm, and lingered near the wall spikes before driving out and pressuring White Tiger Guardian. Golden Hoops drove to the other side of the arena, seemingly struggling to find an opportunity to resume spinning. It sustained another high speed slam from Sandstorm, which got underneath and reversed Golden Hoops hammer-first into the wall spikes. The impact threw Golden Hoops upwards, although it was able to drive away as Sandstorm nudged it towards the flame jets. Golden Hoops eventually spun up again, damaging one of Sandstorm’s side panels as the British machine pushed, deflected and pinned it into the corner. As an already-pitted Zen Oh was raised back up to re-join the battle, Golden Hoops tried several times to spin up again, lightly tapping Sandstorm and Zen Oh with the larger hammer. Following a brief excursion into one of the grinders, Golden Hoops sped across the arena, a collision with Sandstorm’s lifting wedge briefly deflecting it upwards. It spun in the corner as Sandstorm and Zen Oh attacked each other, landing considerable blows to both machines. Golden Hoops struggled to position itself as Sa Beining and Zhang Yishan urged it and Zen Oh’s teams to capitalize on the descending pit. After smacking White Tiger Guardian, it pursued and tapped the side of Zen Oh as the latter drove itself into the pit, before being lifted and suspended on top of Sandstorm’s lifter for a few seconds. Golden Hoops rolled off, and survived to a Judges’ decision against both of its opponents. While the decision was being made, Sa Beining spoke to Golden Hoops’ team again, disappointed by their failure to take advantage of the pit’s descent. Golden Hoops and Zen Oh subsequently lost the decision, resulting in both robots being eliminated from the competition – the team received further encouragement from Beining as they left the arena. Golden Hoops also fought in the Eight-robot Rumble as a representative of Sa Beining's yellow team. It fought Lieutenant Bam, Megabyte, Spear and Shield, Spectre, Thunder and Lightning, Two BBQ, and Wrecker. Results |} Wins/Losses *Wins: 0 *Losses: 3 Series Record Trivia *Golden Hoops was the first robot to use Meltybrain technology in any series of King of Bots or This is Fighting Robots. *Golden Hoops was also nicknamed 'Golden Cudgel', a weapon used by the Monkey King in the novel Pilgrimage to the West. Brian Nave also affectionately called the robot 'Tootsie Roll' on-screen. **Golden Hoops also acquired various innuendo-based nicknames from the roboteers in attendance, which the team appreciated. References Category:Season 1.5 competitors Category:Robots with Unique Weapons Category:Full Body Spinners Category:Chinese Robots Category:Invertible robots Category:This is Fighting Robots competitors Category:Axlebots Category:Robots with Interchangeable Weaponry